Project Quilting 9.5: The Oslo Craft Bag

Project Quilting Challenge Five this year is "A Stitch In Time". This one stumped me a little bit at first. My goal for this season (other than completing all the challenges) is to make projects that I can use on a frequent basis. I wasn't sure how I was going to incorporate this challenge theme into an accessory that I could use a lot.

Then I remembered how my husband bugs me about putting his stuff back (mainly tools) into their correct locations after I borrow things. He hates it when I borrow the screw driver and leave it on the counter instead of putting it back in the tool bag. And rightly so! I get super annoyed when he uses the shipping tape and doesn't put it back in the shipping supplies box (which he does on a regular basis, just so we're clear).

Eventually I came to the conclusion that organization was going to be my focus this week, because it definitely saves time. Nothing drives me crazier than having to hunt for something I know I've got, and I just can't find it!

Sara Lawson's Oslo Craft Bag was on my short list of to-sew items, so I knew this was what I had to make this week. This is a free pattern that is available to her newsletter subscribers. All you have to do is sign up on her website, and she'll send it to you automatically. Don't worry: she's not a spammer. She also just came out with the video to go with it last week, which makes it even better if you're a visual learner like me.

This bag was really fun to put together. I added the rivets on the handles and handle tabs, because rivets are my new favorite thing. I also chose to hand-stitch the binding around the top, because I prefer it in specific cases like this. I love this bag, and I'm so glad I got it done before Modern Stitching Affair in April! It will be great to keep all of my notions and tools organized at the retreat. The bag has a permanent home right next to my sewing table, so it's definitely something I use on a daily basis. The finished size is about 14" x 7.5" x 6.5".